I visited Koli Equestrian Center on my last day in AZ for a conference. I'd never been horseback riding before and decided to cross this off my bucket list. My wrangler Morgan was amazing! She gave very clear instructions on how to handle the horse. She was calm, which made me calm. During the ride we saw wild horses, a blue herring, burrowing owls flying out of their nest, a red tail hawk, and snake tracks. I would 100% recommend doing the 7am ride if you're near Wild Horse Pass and can spare the time. Ask for Morgan when you visit and see if River is available to go out on the ride. read more

Love this place and so close to my home. Robert was our wrangler and he was so darn nice. Really outgoing and super friendly. The ranch is really nice, I only wish the area we rode in was nicer. Horses are well behaved and tack was in good condition. I love that we didn't have to stay in line during ride. Reasonable prices .Give it a try! read more

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I love this place. Our daughter goes every Tuesday for the Koli's Kids Club. Every person there is so kind. They teach our 7 yr old how to care for the horse. Then they ride in the corral where they practice technique. After they go on a long ride through the desert. Every time she has a fantastic time. What sets them apart from most businesses is they care. Last week we were unable to make it because of a cold. They took the time to send an email to wish our daughter a speedy recovery. If you are looking for a place to take the kids, this place rocks. read more

We take our kids there for the Kids Club regularly. The kids love it and the staff really recommends parents watching from afar to allow the kids time and attention to the horses without parents over their shoulder. Kids have to brush and saddle horses (with assistance of course) and then ride. They go in the area for about 30 minutes to make sure everyone is comfortable and then they go on a 30 minute trail ride. My kids get different horses each time and it gives them a story to tell me after each class. The trainers are great, caring, experienced and real 'cowboys' so there's no babying kids, which I love that too, they help but they don't 'baby'. It's so close to South Phoenix, the views of the mountains and open terrain is so peaceful, I recommend 100% to get your kids or yourself there to ride. read more

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We had the best experience with the KOLI Equestrian Center, it was our favorite part of our trip to AZ! We rode as part of the "Mustangs and Massages" package thru the AjiSpa. Our trail ride was so much fun, our guide was outstanding, and our horses were well trained, well cared for, and beautiful. The 90 minute morning horseback ride was a perfect amount of time (though this momma was a little sore the next day - ha ha) and was leisurely, yet still exciting and fun. I would FOR SURE recommend this riding center and the guides for anyone looking to do a bit of horseback riding in the Phoenix area. I am already wanting to go back for the Margarita Sunset ride. :) Thanks for a wonderful experience! read more

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We had a great time! The people there are courteous and make the ride interesting. Would highly recommend the experience!

We had a great time on our ride. Our guides were friendly and informative. We saw lots of different birds, one was huge with massive wing span. We saw several coyotes that were howling and barking about something. Big ole jack rabbits too. We enjoyed the ride. read more

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Excellent experience on our sunset horseback riding adventure! Our guide, Jos, was so knowledgeable and kind. We enjoyed every minute of being with the beautiful horses amongst the desert scenery. It was an awesome adventure and we are grateful for it! read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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My daughter has been attending Kids Club here for about a month (horsemanship 101 for kids) and absolutely loves it! Everyone is super friendly and knowledgeable there. Highly recommend Koli Equestrian Center; we've had great experiences every time she goes. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We booked a sunset ride that ended with margaritas, chips & salsa provided by staff. Our horseback experience met and exceeded our expectations. Staff were very friendly, as well as very competent with the horses and riders. They really went the extra mile to match riders up with appropriately tempered horses. This may seem like a small detail, but we had a number of first time riders in our group and Koli staff's expertise made a genuine positive benefit for all new riders, they left exhilarated; wanting to ride more. No one left with fear of ever getting back in a saddle, and it was just such a positive experience. The drinks and snacks afterwards was a fun icebreaker and invited fun camaraderie with our riding group, no one was ready for the party to end! I will most definitely be back the nest time I visit wildhorse pass. read more

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For my daughter's birthday, I chose Koli because she had recently enjoyed a Koli horseback riding event with her co-workers. The staff and guides are very personable and friendly. The buildings, grounds and facilities are beautifully kept and clean, with proper COVID protocols in place. The horses are happy, healthy, and well trained for any riding ability. Whether you're a novice on a horse, or have a little more experience, they pair up riders with horses that suit the individual's size and comfort level. (And masks can be removed once you're mounted since everyone is at least 6-feet apart when atop horses.) I had long ago given up on riding stables since they required riding nose-to-tail on a single trail - a little boring for me. Traveling with the group, the Koli riding terrain often gives riders a choice of trail - to either effortlessly ride nose-to-tail with the rider in front, or use any riding experience you may have to lead your horse to where you can, say, ride next to your companion, for example. I really appreciated that freedom and encouragement from our wonderful guides. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Photo finish atop Sundance and Pony Boy - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Such a great experience, even for an experienced rider! Other center's I have gone to in the past have either given me horse that needed to worked or treated my like a novice - which wasn't enjoyable. Koli Equestrian Center is perfect for all levels. The guides our wonderful, and full of great conversation. I truly felt like I had been on the ranch hundreds of times before - that's how comfortable they make you feel. The pricing is spot on, and you won't find anything cheaper (and if you do - prepare for a less quality ride)! As an Scottsdale resident, I will go back to Koli Equestrian Center every time I have the "itch." read more

What a GREAT facility. The wrangler was AWESOME, the scenery was beautiful, and the horses were so well cared for, trained & gentle. I went on the 90 minute private ride with some friends & we had such a beautiful time. We learned about the land, the natural habitat & saw some wild horses. I highly recommend this business. read more

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10/10 such a fun experience! They are covid safe with staff masked up even being outdoors. Great prices for a truly beautiful adventure. Our guide Alex was Awesome and extremely knowledgeable. She was amazing at giving demonstrations to remind us the basics of Western riding. We felt safe and at ease with her and our horses. I rode Buckey and can't wait to get back in the saddle since. Alex was also so nice to offer to take photos for us on the horses with the gorgeous mountains in the background. I will definitely be back! read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Such sweet horses! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

A lot of fun. I had a very sweet horse named Rosie who I barely had to direct. I just sat on her and took pics the whole time. Great horse. Our guide was great too. Learned a ton about the land and the history and the four tribes. It's a very peaceful ride and very beautiful. Staff was friendly and it looks like they take care of the horses, which is what's important. I would definitely come again. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Our dream was always to drive cross country and see this wonderful land, so while in Arizona we ventured out to enjoy a real Horseback ride across the dessert. We got our wish and found the Koli wild horse pass, owned by the Gila River Indians. incredible doesn't begin to describe that riding venture. Traversing the Dessert in full control of the horse was the most exhilarating thrill My wife has experienced in a lifetime, 90 minuets of pure ecstasy. read more

Awesome private ride for me & my family. Our guide (we don't think she told us her name) was awesome. We went on a 9am ride in early December and were lucky enough to see a herd of wild horses. Everyone really enjoyed the ride and wants to do it again. Highly recommend! read more

Great experience and the guide was a pleasure to have on our horse ride. We were lucky enough to come up on a herd of wild horses, which helps explain how they got the name for the nearby casino. read more

They offered Personable guides, an authentic setting, and well cared for horses. We did the sunrise tour which offered a great rate and avoided the daytime AZ heat. read more

Absolutely I would recommend this establishment Took my grandkids There today they were so patient took there time to explain everything to them my youngest is 7 and oldest is 9 first they were scared of a full size horse but the wrangler but them at ease read more

We had been to many other places as my daughter is obsessed with horses. This was hands down the best experience she has ever had!!! She had the best time. The kids club leaders were incredible!!! So confident and well versed in horses and shared that confidence and love of horses with the kids. I was blown away, that after only a short time the children were able to lead and guide their own horses. The approach of this center is to help kids quickly gain confidence in their ability to properly ride a horse!! It was a truly incredible experience. My heart felt so happy watching and I feel so grateful to have found this place read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Guiding her horse through the barrels - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

First time riding in horse in 50 years and it was wonderful. Personable and fun guide, gentle horses, and a beautiful desert setting for a very peaceful ride. read more

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Highly recommend to anyone looking for a positive, fun, and informative horseback ride. As a horse owner I can attest that the horses are in great condition and good solid horses that are cared for very well. The facility is very well maintained and immaculate. The ride , the land and wild horses - breathtaking. Staff was amazing, informative, and made the experience that much better. You felt the love and respect they have for the herd. You can't go wrong picking this place for a good positive experience (especially for those that have never been on a horse, their horses are the horses you want to be on to feel safe and be able to enjoy the ride). Thank you for the experience! Will be back. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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If u enjoy horses this place is amazing... our tour guide Alex and her mom(sorry I forgot ur name) were wicked friendly patient and knowledge... the animals looked well nourished and were friendly and well behaved.. from ur Maine tourist thank u and we will be back! read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Photo op - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Hands down amazing!! This was one of my top 3 experiences in life. I highly suggest the sunset tour with adding the extension time to see the wild horse roam. My tour guild (I forgot his name) he was a native and shared amazing stories with me about his family and his culture. I will do this again when back in town!! read more

I really enjoyed the time spent at Koli with Wrangler Sylvia and horse Bubba!! Sylvia was excellent in answering all of my questions and letting me have some 'hands on' horsemanship practice. Trying my hand out at grooming, saddling, time in the ring and finally a nice ride to complete the one on one session. I'm heading back for a final 'refresher' before I tackle the Sangre de Cristos in southwest Colorado. read more

My husband And I recently stayed at the Sheraton Grand Resort at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix. He was busy at the Bondurant Racing School so I did a bit of research and found the Koli Equestrian Center located at the resort. I'm not strong with horses but I wanted to ride in the desert and encounter a totally different environment from central Florida. So off I went to book my ride. I opted to do a solo ride so that I could do what I wanted and what the guide felt I could do at my experience level. I booked online and it was simple to do and I received immediate confirmation of my outing. My guide Robert picked me up at the Sheraton exactly at the moment he said he would and we took the 5 minute van ride to the center. I signed in and was offered water and a place to leave my backpack. Once all the necessities were taken care of we walked over to where my horse Jessie stood. She is a beautiful quarter horse with a sweet disposition and a good horse for a beginner. Robert tailored the ride to my skill and we went into the desert. We talked about the local ecology, saw jack rabbits and wild horses and I learned a lot about riding horses and life out west. The best recommendation I can offer is that I had such a great time I immediately booked a solo ride with Robert the next day. Off we went again on different horses to see different sites. Had we stayed one more day I would have gone again! read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

What a fantastic ride. You have control of the horse and they just don't follow the leader. Got to go out and see the wild colts with their mother and other horses taking dust baths. I would totally recommend Koli Equestrian. Wear long pants, sunscreen,be hydrated, shoes and be ready to hear history and see wild life. read more

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Great family adventure. We took our 8 year old daughter who was very afraid and one of the guides followed beside her the entire trip. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My wife and I wanted to experience the desert on horseback and couldn't have been happier with our morning ride with Chuck! Learned a lot and had great conversation with our friendly guide. Lots of opportunities for awesome videos and pictures of each other and the wild horses! Fun for all ages highly recommend. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We had a wonderful experience riding horses on Wednesday in the desert. The ride was smooth and we are looking forward to another visit. We heard a lot of great stories on our ride and would absolutely recommend this to people visiting the area. read more

If this place had 10 stars, it would get that rating from me! We had an amazing experience as a family on a private horseback riding tour. The horse/tour guides were knowledgeable not only about horses, but also about the Indigenous Culture and Heritage of the Pima Native American tribal history. After going on this horseback riding tour, I have gained much more respect for the culture and quest for more knowledge - true knowledge, the stuff they don't tell you in biased traditional American history textbooks. The staff on this tour were the most genuine, kind hearted and strong souls I've met in a while. I would definitely recommend this horseback riding tour! and if you're like me, always looking for a discounted price, get the players club card at the Gila Casino for 10% off and call (instead of online booking) to waive the internet booking fee. read more

Riding a horse remains one of the more iconic activities for anyone visiting the western United States. The Koli Equestrian Center on the Gila River Nation is just outside the urban area allowing for a taste of the open range close to the city. Operated by the nation residents, the center offers several great options including sunset, sunrise, and wagon rides good for everyone. The guides come from the area giving real insight into the land and the experience. They are also very good with the horses and helpful with riders of all levels. My sunset ride was perfect. We mounted the horses and took off into the desert. You have free reign over the desert with the guides deliberately meandering around. The horses are fine with riding side by side or nose to tail and are well trained. Sunset was about halfway during the ride, and margaritas at the end capped off a great time. The prices are very reasonable with lots of good specials. They are great for families, couples, and everyone in between. Koli is a great authentic horse experience in the unspoiled desert and should not be missed. read more

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Jan 3, 2022 - We had a great experience with our guide Blass! Our horses (Dale & Clyde) were calm and easy to communicate with for the entire journey. Blass kept us entertained with stories of growing up a few miles from the equestrian center, farming the Southern AZ desert, and training the horses. We loved that we had some freedom of movement on this ride and weren't forced to stay in line! We saw wild horses in the distance, coyotes, hawks, and other small game and birds during our outing. We highly recommend KOLI Equestrian Center and will be returning soon! read more

My daughter and I went here for a private Horsemanship 101 session today since we have never been riding before (other than silly pony rides at kids parks). We were both a little nervous since we did not know what to expect. We met with Roger around 8:15AM, explained what we wanted to learn and experience and he set us off to explaining horse safety, walked us out to pick our own horses from the pen, lead them to the tack house to tie them off, step us through the grooming process, haul the blanket and saddle out of the tack house, place the saddle, fix the bridle, mount the horses, and then basic controls around a practice area. After about 10 mins of getting comfortable during practice, he asked my daughter if she was familiar enough with her horse to take the horse out onto the trails. She could not wait and was bursting at the seams with joy that she was really controlling the horse herself. Roger was very patient to answer all of our questions throughout since our goal is to be able to ride horses elsewhere though all the places we visit in the world. He made sure to explain why we were doing all the things we were doing, not just telling us to do them. After about a 50 minute ride on the trails, he also showed us how to cool the horses down so that they can relax after being out carrying us around. We got to see some zombies and beautiful reservation scenery along the way and Roger was just a super friendly guy. I was hesitant at first about the prices for the private session, but for nervous first timers, this place is really a great value! The helped to pick out Alice, a mustang, for my daughter who was clearly an incredibly gentle and sweet horse. We left feeling like we were horse riding experts. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Riding on Cochise, following along with Alice and Freckles! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My 2 boys have been riding here in the Kids Club for 2 years and it was the first place I thought of when my husband and I started looking for venues to get married. The staff was excellent and responsive during the planning process and the day-of, the ceremony and food (fry bread!) were just amazing. There were cowboy games for the kids and a very efficient and friendly bar! The ceremony was at sunset on the lawn behind the office and it was PERFECT! Sigh, wish I could do it again :) read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Sunset wedding at Koli Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This was my second time going to Koli and just like the first time, it was amazing!! I took my mom for her first time on a horse and she loved it! This time I took four friends to celebrate a birthday and it was just as wonderful, if not better! They go above and beyond, communicate well, travel in a group versus a straight line so you can commune together and have some good laughs along the way. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly!! Definitely going back and they even now have a sister location opening at Mormon Lake where I will be going as well!!! read more

I took a private writing lesson here on Friday and I was extremely pleased with the friendliness of the staff, and the patience of my trainer / instructor whose name was Bless. I wanted to learn the technique for staying on a running horse. I hadn't rides in like 40+ years & his instructions were perfect. I felt a lot more confident after only 30 mins in the ring. Then he took me on a very long trail ride thru the open reservation . I am really looking forward to my next lesson. read more

The guides make this an enjoyable experience. The horses and lawn is well manicured. A classy facility.

8/10 and was a great experience! Upon arrival it was tough to figure out where to go and what to do. The man who greeted us was wearing a mask and very sarcastic. I enjoyed his personality but I wasn't sure if he was joking with our group or being serious so PLEASE be prepared to have thick skin for this event. We did not opt for the helmets and had a pretty hysterical exchange with the guide on that. Don't think you need them. Sign the waiver in the office FIRST then head out to the horses. There is really no explanation on how to saddle up or off load. They pick the horse based on your height. So me being the short girl, I got a tiny horse named Legs. Man, legs worked hard on this journey! I was bit on the leg by one of the other horses because Legs got "too close"...this is desert riding. You don't have to stay in a line. Our guides were funny, engaging and informative about the Gila (Gee-La) Indian Reservation. Very cool stories and stats. The sunset was STUNNING, the WILD horses in the distance were beautiful and it was so peaceful to be out there. One of my girlfriends that I was with had a very large horse named Clyde who likes to "rub his belly" on the large bushes. She was scolded for letting him wander to the bushes. It was a little embarrassing in the group. All in all it was a good experience. We topped off the night with some margaritas and some chips and salsa. A cute touch. Thanks for the great time and a fun experience. I would certainly do it again and this time I wouldn't need as many instructions. read more

KOLI Equestrian Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona